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Boone Police say they’ve made two arrests in the August 8th armed robbery at the Boone Cracker Barrel. Their release said that at about 9 p.m. that night a person wearing a mask entered the Cracker Barrel Restaurant at 1601 Blowing Rock Road in Boone, and robbed the cashiers at gunpoint.
The cashiers complied and gave the suspect an undisclosed amount of cash, then the suspect ran out of the store and was last seen running in the direction of the Harris Teeter Store. Police searched Harris Teeter, then began their search for a car seen parked near the edge of the parking lot. The release said that Boone Police Department have now closed the investigation with two arrests for the robbery of the Cracker Barrel, including Nathan Knight Manwarren, 28, of Rabbit Run Road, Boone, identified as the perpetrator. Last Friday, December 27th, Manwarren came to the Boone Police Department after learning that investigators were questioning acquaintances about his involvement in the robbery. When confronted, police say Manwarren confessed to robbing the Cracker Barrel. Nathan Knight Manwarren was arrested and charged with Armed Robbery, then Manwarren’s girlfriend, Jennifer Rene Thomas, 22, of White Ash Drive, Asheville, was arrested by Asheville Police Department and turned over to investigators from the Boone Police Department. Ms. Thomas admitted her involvement in the robbery; although, she did not enter the restaurant during the robbery. Jennifer Rene Thomas was charged on one count of Felony Robbery. Mr. Manwarren and Ms. Thomas were both held in the Watauga County Detention Center under $80,000 secured bonds pending January 23, 2014, court appearances.

"This investigation has been ongoing. We finally got the break that we needed. Our investigators have followed up on several leads in great depth while working towards solving this crime. We are very pleased that we were able to solve this robbery. When something like this happens in Boone it makes everyone feel uneasy" - Lt. Chris Hatton